Statistics on Substance Misuse in Wales, include data on clients seen at drug and alcohol treatment agencies in Wales for the year to the end of March 2008.

The key points from the latest report are:

• There were 27,744 referrals for treatment of alcohol or drug misuse notified to the database.
• 69% of referrals were male.
• 55% of referrals related to alcohol.
• Heroin accounts for 53% of all referrals reporting problem drug use.
• Self referrals were the most common source of referral both for alcohol (32%) and for drugs (24%).
• The median age of referrals where the main problem substance was alcohol was 37 years and for drugs was 29 years.
• Waiting times for assessment have been calculated for 12,403 clients with referral and assessment dates recorded; 56% were assessed within the target of 10 working days.
• Waiting times for treatment have been calculated for 11,069 clients with assessment and treatment dates recorded; 95% were treated within the target of 10 working days of assessment.

Further information is available on the Statistics for Wales website.